About Tros Gynnal & Advocacy in Somerset
An introduction to Maze’s parent organisations
Advocacy in Somerset has been providing a mental health advocacy service for adults in Somerset since 1996. The organisation is a registered charity limited by guarantee, with significant input from mental health service users.
Since 2002, following requests from the local NHS Mental Health Trust, it has provided a service for young people at a local adolescent psychiatric unit. This service has since become one of the forerunners in the development of advocacy in this setting.
In 2004 it was commissioned by the Children’s Rights Alliance for England and the DfES to create the Headspace Toolkit, a self advocacy and rights resource for young people in adolescent psychiatric units. The toolkit is now being successfully used across approximately 50% of units in England and Wales.
Tros Gynnal is a Wales based organisation providing specific services in children’s rights advocacy and participation work to children and young people via service level agreements with local authorities in 9 projects across Wales.
It was set up in April 2002, and has provided services as a successor organisation to The Children’s Society in Wales since 1st August 2002.
Its current service focus is to deliver children’s rights services to children and young people within current arrangements, while submitting tenders for work with existing and new partners that will increase advocacy provision, participation opportunities and other services for the future.
We help young people age 6-19 in Somerset and Cardiff to get their views heard on issues affecting their emotional or mental wellbeing. Our service is free, independent and confidential.